LASER SCANNER

• US 20160169659A1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Steffey, Kenneth, Becker, Reinhard, Becker, Bernd-Dietmar, Gittinger, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 10,132,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/127 Adaptive control of the scanning light beam, e.g. using the feedback from one or more detectors G02B27/0031 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for acquiring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface is provided. The method includes providing the scanner configured to emit a light from the light source and reflect the light onto the surface, the scanner further being configured to determine with a processor a three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the surface based at least in part on a first and second angle measuring device and a reflection of the light from the surface. An image is acquired of the surface with a camera and a feature is identified. A first area is identified having a high information content and a first arc segment is determined. The surface is scanned by rotating a motor at a first speed during the first arc segment and at a second speed during a second arc segment, the second speed being greater than the first speed.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface, the method comprising:

providing the scanner having a light source, a mirror, a first motor, a second motor, a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, a receiver, a distance meter, a camera and a processor, the scanner being configured to emit a light from the light source and reflect the light onto the surface, the scanner further being configured to determine with the processor a three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the surface based at least in part on the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device and a reflection of the light from the surface;

acquiring at least one image of the surface with the camera;

identifying at least one feature on the surface in the at least one image;

identifying at least one first area having a high information content;

determining a first arc segment that includes the at least one first area;

scanning the surface by rotating the scanner with the second motor at a first speed during the first arc segment and at a second speed during a second arc segment, the second speed being greater than the first speed; and

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on the surface from the scanning.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying the at least one feature includes image smoothing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one feature includes at least one of an edge, corner, blob or ridge.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying at least one second area having low information content.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising identifying a third arc segment containing the at least one second area.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning further includes rotating the second motor at a third speed during the third arc segment, the third speed being greater than the second speed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a variable surface point density point cloud of the surface.

8. A system for acquiring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface, the system comprising:

a scanner having a light source, a mirror, a first motor, a second motor, a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, a receiver, a distance meter, and a camera, the scanner being configured to emit a light from the light source and reflect the light onto the surface, the scanner further being configured to determine a three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the surface based at least in part on the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device and a reflection of the light from the surface;

a memory having computer readable instructions; and

one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the one or more processors being operably coupled to the scanner, the computer readable instructions comprising;

acquiring at least one image of the surface with the camera;

identifying at least one feature on the surface in the at least one image;

identifying at least one first area having a high information content;

determining a first arc segment that includes the at least one first area;

scanning the surface by rotating the scanner with the second motor at a first speed during the first arc segment and at a second speed during a second arc segment, the second speed being greater than the first speed; and

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on the surface from the scanning.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the identifying the at least one feature includes image smoothing.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one feature includes at least one of an edge, corner, blob or ridge.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise identifying at least one second area having low information content.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise identifying a third arc segment containing the at least one second area.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein during the scanning includes rotating the second motor at a third speed during the third arc segment, the third speed being greater than the second speed.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise generating a variable surface point density point cloud of the surface.

15. A method comprising:

providing the scanner having a light source, a mirror, a first motor, a first angle measuring device, a second angle measuring device, a receiver, a distance meter, a camera and a processor, the scanner being configured to emit a light from the light source and reflect the light onto a surface, the scanner further being configured to determine with the processor a three-dimensional coordinate of a point on the surface based at least in part on the first angle measuring device, the second angle measuring device and a reflection of the light from the surface;

rotating the scanner with the first motor;

acquiring a plurality of images of the surface with the camera while rotating the scanner;

identifying at least one first feature on the surface in the plurality of images;

identifying at least one first area having a high information content based at least in part on the at least one first feature;

determining a first arc segment that includes the at least one first area;

scanning the surface by rotating the scanner with the first motor at a first speed during the first arc segment and at a second speed during a second arc segment, the second speed being greater than the first speed;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on the surface from the scanning; and

storing the three-dimensional coordinates.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising identifying a third arc segment containing the at least one second area, the at least one second area including at least one second feature.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the scanning further includes rotating the first motor at a third speed during the third arc segment, the third speed being greater than the second speed.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a density of the plurality of points in the at least one second area is lower than that at least one first area.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the scanner further includes a second motor coupled to rotate the mirror.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the scanner further includes a galvo operably coupled to the mirror.